erosion

American  

[ih-roh-zhuhn] / ɪˈroʊ ʒən /

noun

1. the act or state of eroding; state of being eroded.

2. the process by which the surface of the earth is worn away by the action of water, glaciers, winds, waves, etc.

3. the gradual decline or disintegration of something.

   Each candidate is blaming the other’s party for the erosion of international trade.

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erosion British  

/ ɪˈrəʊʒən /

noun

1. the wearing away of rocks and other deposits on the earth's surface by the action of water, ice, wind, etc

2. the act or process of eroding or the state of being eroded

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erosion Scientific  

/ ĭ-rō′zhən /

1. The gradual wearing away of land surface materials, especially rocks, sediments, and soils, by the action of water, wind, or a glacier. Usually erosion also involves the transport of eroded material from one place to another, as from the top of a mountain to an adjacent valley, or from the upstream portion of a river to the downstream portion.

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erosion Cultural  

1. A type of weathering in which surface soil and rock are worn away through the action of glaciers, water, and wind.

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Other Word Forms

• antierosion
  adjective
• erosional
  adjective
• erosive
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of erosion

First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin ērōsiōn- (stem of ērōsiō ), derivative of ērōdere “to gnaw, eat away”; see origin at erode, -ion

Explanation

The Grand Canyon is a monumental example of erosion—the entire canyon was carved by the flow of the Colorado River, which slowly dug the canyon out of stone over the course of eons. Erosion is the wearing away of sand, soil, or rock by water or wind. But it also has a metaphorical sense. The erosion of standards for behavior in society means that our grandparents would be shocked by what passes for good manners today.

Example Sentences

Erosion fights are raging on coastlines nationwide as sea-level rise and intense storms devour beaches and prime real estate.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Erosion, by its nature, can weaken foundations over time, leading them to crumble under pressure.

From Barron's • Oct. 31, 2025

Erosion from the changing conditions jeopardizes beaches the world over, according to European Union researchers.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 14, 2024

Erosion is sculpting dramatic features into the world's biggest iceberg in what's likely to be the final months of its existence.

From BBC • Jan. 15, 2024

Erosion on the Moon is so inefficient, because of the absence of air and water, that even small craters a few billion years old are still comparatively well preserved.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

Related Words

• corrosion
• decrease
• destruction
• disintegration